Defendant sentenced for copyright infringement

Defendant sentenced for copyright infringement

Posted: Thursday, June 12, 2008 at 11:04 p.m.

MCALLEN (AP) -- Karina Hipolito-Martinez, citizen of the United Mexican States, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 30 months in prison for criminal copyright infringement, United States Attorney Don DeGabrielle announced today.

She was also ordered to serve a two-year-term of supervised release following completion of her sentence.

In October 2007, the McAllen Police Department received a report of illegal drugs being stored in a residence. Upon entering the home, the officers observed a large quantity of video discs, DVD copiers, DVD players and other equipment related to copying videos.

Officers seized 36,745 DVDs containing counterfeited movies, $13,269 in cash, several towers of DVD burners and numerous photo-quality printers. According to the Motion Picture Association of America, this was the largest seizure of counterfeited movies in the state of Texas to date.

On Dec. 21, 2007, Hipolitio-Martinez pleaded guilty to committing copyright infringement by electronic means and aiding and abetting, in violation of 17 U.S.C. § 506(a)(1)(B), 18 U.S.C. §§ 2, 2319(c)(1).

The investigation leading to the charges in this case was conducted by the McAllen Police Department and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn Ferko prosecuted the case.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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